I was virtually totally uninformed of the Christian faith when I became a disciple of Jesus. I had been befriended by another high school student and had become captivated by the preacher. These two people had something I clearly wanted. After a while, I discovered it wasn't something, it was someone.

When I determined to follow Jesus I was really serious about it. So I did whatever I was told. My preacher told me, "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor 15:33). I was also told "not to have anything to do with immoral people" (1 Cor 5:9). Since everyone I knew was "bad company" or "immoral," I determined to totally change all my relationships. I would form all new friendships.

I did; only to learn later that Paul didn't mean the immoral of this world, but the immoral in the church (1 Cor 5:10). If we abandon the immoral of the world, they will have no hope of learning about Christ. We must befriend them; and reach them.

But isn't that "risky business?" Isn't there a danger that the influence will go the wrong direction? An unqualified "Yes." Of course it's risky. My friend, Dan, who brought Christ into my life, took a risk . . . he befriended me. About a month after I was baptized into Christ Dan told me, "If you hadn't started coming to church with me, I was going to quit going and run around with you." Risk. Real risk.

But, I believe the risk was worth it! Who's out there that you need to risk forming a relationship with? In doing so, what safeguards will you put in place to reduce the risk?